Aug. 21, 2007 - Since the days of the Nintendo 64, fans who debated which Nintendo character was the best of them all have had a way to prove their convictions - Super Smash Bros. Fans have been eating the title up since then, and some have even gone as far to say it was the best fighting game title available on the market. After the sequel on the GameCube, Super Smash Bros. Melee, fans begged for another installment to the series. Come this December, those pleas of more carnage will be answered, and a collective excitement is now being felt across the globe.

With the controls on the Wii, some fans wonder exactly how they will be able to enact their brawliest moves on the unsuspecting victims who choose to play against them. We have a few of those answers for you. However, for those of you out there who have no idea of the phenomenon that is the Super Smash Bros. series, I shall fill you in first.

The Super Smash series is your typical fighting game with a few varying techniques that players of traditional fighters may have to get used to. For starters, instead of a health bar, you will have a percentage tally on the screen that starts at zero. As that percentage races to the 100% mark, you will find it increasingly hard to stay on the stage. After all, the main goal is to knock off all opponents on the screen. The fabled Nintendo characters, such as Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikachu, Fox, Samus, Bowser, and Donkey Kong, have all your basic moves like punching and kicking, as well as specific moves depending on the corresponding buttons pushed. In addition to the basics, each character will have four special attacks and one character specific signature move called "Final Smash." Players will use an item called "Smash Balls" to perform these promising attacks.

The stages this time around will be new with the exception of one returning stage from Melee, which is heavily changed since it was last seen. In fact, most of the stages will drastically change cosmetically during the battles of iconic characters. The Battlefield stage will change from day to night, the Yoshi's Island stage will change whole seasons, and the Skyworld stage will have destructible platforms. Players will also have weapons they can use against their adversaries, such as projectile weapons and an item that will heal one specific character and damage all others around. Some special items that will be accessible occasionally during the battles are the Assist Trophy and Poké Balls, and each brings in special guests or Pokémon to aid the player. Most of these quests are invincible, but they are uncontrollable by the players.

Speaking of controls, there will be a few ways you can experience this installment into the series. You will be able to use the Wii remote turned on its side, the Wii remote Nunchuk combination, the classic controller, and even the traditional GameCube controller. The reasoning behind the variations of play is for the different gamer styles out there. We will also be able to configure the controls the way we want to for the different controller we use. The option of different controllers is not the only new control aspect of the game. Plenty of new characters will be available as we progress through the game as well. Some are complimentary to the franchises already present in the game, such as Meta Knight from the Kirby series. In addition, a few will represent their titles for the first time. Wario, at the top of many fans must-play lists, is making his debut, and Pit from Kid Icarus will return from a hiatus that began in 1991. However, one character not only makes his first appearance into the series but also marks the first third party character to grace the Super Smash titles. I am, of course, speaking of the king of stealth missions, Solid Snake.

If you are worried those mindless hours of fighting might not be able to hold your interest, there will be an all-new single player mode that will intrigue fans. The Subspace Emissary is what the new adventure mode is called, and it will feature full motion videos, storylines, and some side scrolling action. The main emphasis on the adventure mode will be character development and seeing them persevere through their own personal histories. Promises of a more fleshed out single player only seems to increase the already insurmountable hype around the game. According to a recent release from Japanese gaming magazine Coro Coro, Super Smash Bros Brawl will have WiFi Battle; this could mean that the brawlers among us will have the capability to battle things out online. While nothing is concrete at current moment, it does appear to be happening for the fighting series. Only time will tell how these new inclusions will aid the game, but it certainly makes me wish December was much closer than it is.

New and old fans of the sequel to Super Smash Bros. have been biting at the bit for this game for quite some time. With the improved graphics, inclusions of more fan favorites, and, of course, the willingness to adapt to different player styles with the inclusion of different controller options, there's no reason anyone with a Wii should not be looking forward to this game. For those of you without the Wii, race out to get it before it goes into "sold out" hiding once this game hits the shelves.

By
Matthew Walker
CCC Project Coordinator

Features:

Play with four types of controllers!: Wii Remote, Wii Remote & Nunchuk, Classic Controller, and the GameCube controller.

Your Favorite Veteran Fighters Are Back! Mario, Link, Kirby, Pikachu, Fox, Samus, Zelda, Bowser, and Donkey Kong are ready for more action! New characters also join in the bash this time around!

Brawl in your favorite Nintendo Locations! Battlefield, Delfino Plaza, Yoshi's Island, Lylat Cruise, Bridge of Eldin, and Smashville are just some of the places you can choose to get your Brawl on!